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2311 El Leoncito

Reddish main-belt asteroid


Reddish main-belt asteroid

FieldValue
minorplanetyes
name2311 El Leoncito
background#D6D6D6
discovery_ref
discovered10 October 1974
discovererFélix Aguilar Obs.
discovery_siteEl Leoncito
mpc_name(2311) El Leoncito
alt_names1928 DM
1944 KD1972 KH
1972 LM1976 AE
named_afterEl Leoncito (observatories)
mp_categorymain-belt(outer)
orbit_ref
epoch4 September 2017 (JD 2458000.5)
uncertainty0
observation_arc44.87 yr (16,387 days)
aphelion3.7866 AU
perihelion3.4866 AU
semimajor3.6366 AU
eccentricity0.0412
period6.94 yr (2,533 days)
mean_anomaly107.06°
mean_motion/ day
inclination6.6174°
asc_node156.68°
arg_peri189.64°
dimensionskm (IRAS:10)
albedo(IRAS:10)
spectral_typeTholen = D
B–V = 0.752
U–B = 0.209
abs_magnitude10.52

1944 KD1972 KH 1972 LM1976 AE B–V = 0.752 U–B = 0.209

2311 El Leoncito, provisional designation , is a dark and reddish asteroid from the outer region of the asteroid belt, approximately 53 kilometers in diameter. The asteroid was discovered by astronomers at Félix Aguilar Observatory at the Leoncito Astronomical Complex in Argentina on 10 October 1974. It was later named after the discovering site.

Orbit and classification

El Leoncito orbits the Sun in the outer main-belt at a distance of 3.5–3.8 AU once every 6 years and 11 months (2,533 days). Its orbit has an eccentricity of 0.04 and an inclination of 7° with respect to the ecliptic.

It has a well-observed orbit with the lowest possible uncertainty – a condition code of 0 – and an observation arc that spans over a period of almost half a century, using precovery images on photographic plates from 1972.

Physical characteristics

El Leoncito is characterized as a D-type asteroid in the Tholen taxonomy, one of only 46 known asteroids of this spectral type.

The body has a low albedo of 0.04, typical for D-type asteroids. Its rotation period, however, remains unknown.

Naming

This minor planet derives its name from the Spanish name of the discovering astronomical complex of observatories, the Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito (CASLEO). The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 22 September 1983 (M.P.C. 8153).

References

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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